Pressing machine



Allg- 7, 1956 G. w. JOHNSON ETAL 2,757,832

PRESSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 4, 1954 Arron/vars Aug- 7, 1956 G. w. JOHNSON :TAL 2,757,832

PRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORJ` 65ans: w. dnwsa/v Jn/v R. Pfr/w:

Aug- 7, 1956 G. w. JOHNSON ETAL 2,757,832

:DRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1954 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY Eff-gi@ V /WLWQM Trax/vars United States Patent O M 2,757,832 PRESSING MACHINE Application February 4, 1954, seal No. 408,174

6 claims. (C1. zza- 5.7)

The invention relates to pressingmachines for nishing the body portions of garments such as shirts and the like. Merely as an example, and in n'o 'sense limiting, the invention will be described in connection with the finish ipressing of a mans shirt.

Machines of this type have in the past included an Y=upright shirt receiving form, hereinafter termed abuck, V'on which the shirt to be ironed is draped or dressed, after -which `two complementary pressing members are advanced from opposed positions into pressing contact with the shirt and buck to produce the pressing effect.

As a more eiiicient development in the prior art, apparatus has been devised wherein two or more bucks are provided in a working unit for alternate or successive cooperation with a pair of complementary pressing memhers, and wherein one said buck, with a garment thereon, is moved to pressing position while another said buck is simultaneously moved away from 'said pressing position to a dressing position for undressing a finished shirt and dressing another shirt for the next pressing operation.

In the prior art devices heretofore or now in use there are various structural or operational disadvantages which prevent the fullest operating efficiency. In addition such prior art devices were usually so structurally complex as to be cumbersome and expensive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pressing machine for garments such as shirts and the like, which is simple and economical in construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pressing machine having a pair of complementary pressing chests located at a pressing position, and a pair of bucks adapted to be reciprocated past 'each other in opposite directions between said pressing position vand a dressing position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pressing machine as described inthe last preceding paragraph, i

.and wherein the movement of the bucks in their respec- 'tively opposed directions occurs simultaneously.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pressing machine having a pressing station, a dressing :station spaced from said pressing station, and means for moving a pair of bucks in opposite directions along gener- .ally parallel and adjacent paths, said paths each extending between said pressing station and said dressing station.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a study of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate one-embodiment of the invention, and in which:

, Fig. l is a top plan view of a pressing machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on Athe line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the power and sequence control system. I

Figs. 4 to 10 are views showing successive operating positions of two bucks anda pair of pressing chestsduring an'y operating cycle.

2,757,832 Patented VAug. 7, 1956 Before proceeding to a description of the structural features of the invention, it may be helpful to brieiiy consider Figs. 4 to l0 to acquire a general impression of the sequence of movements of the bucks and chests in a complete cycle. The bucks are identied by reference characters 21 and 22, and the chests by reference characters and 24. The two parallel, broken lines designated by the letters A and B represent the path of lateral reciprocation of the respective bucks 21 and 22. The dressing position is at the left in each sketch and the pressing position at the right. Movement of the bucks between the dressing and pressing positions will be hereinafter termed lateral movement. Movement perpendicular thereto, in the plane of the drawings, will be termed transverse movement.

In Fig. 4 the buck 21 is shown in dressing position having moved thereto to the left along the line A. Buck 22 simultaneously has moved to the right along line B. Buck 22 has been thereafter displaced slightly transversely by advance movement of chest 23, after which chest 24 is advanced transversely to the position of Fig. 5, in which position the shirt on buck 22 is pressed. At the same time the operator removes a previously pressed shirt from buck 21 and substitutes a shirt to be pressed.

The next step is indicated in Fig. 6 wherein chests 23 and 24 separate transversely, after which bucks 21 and 22 each move laterally, 21 to the iight and 22 to the left, passing each other at an -intermediate position along their respective paths, to achieve the positions shown in Fig. 7.

As indicated in Fig. 8, buck 22 is moved transversely from line B to line A, to arrive at the operators position, herein generally termed the dressing position, while chest 23 has advanced transversely to contact with buck 21, and chest 24 immediately thereafter also advances transversely to co-operating contact with buck 21, as shown in Fig. 9. During the pressing operation on buck 21 the operator is removing the previously pressed shirlt from buck 22, and substituting another shirt to be pressed.

Fig. 10 shows the next step in which buck 22 is retracted transversely to its line of lateral movement, B, while chests 23 and 24 open and buck 21 is retracted to its line of lateral movement, A. In the next step of course, the bucks 21 and 22 move laterally along respective lines A and B for the next cycle, the rst step of which is shown at Fig. 4.

The operating elements, and the means for achieving 'the successive cyclical movements will now be described, with reference particularly to Figs. l and 2.

Each buck is mounted for lateral and transverse movement in a horizontal plane. The bucks 21 and 22 are fixed on respective transverse carriages 25 and 26, which move transversely on respective track bars 27, 28 by means of the grooved rollers 29. The track bars 27 and 28 extend transversely in opposite directions from respective laterally movable carriages 30 and 31, the free ends of bars 27 being secured in a cross plate 32, and the free ends of bars 28 being secured in a cross plate 33. Respective bracing plates 32b and 33b strengthen the lateral carriage structure.

The laterally movable carriage 30 has two horizontally spaced main weight-supporting rollers 36 near the top` which ride on track bars 37 extending laterally the full width of the machine, and said track bars are secured in the machine frame at each end. At the bottom there is another roller 38, bearing transversely against a track bar 39 so as to support the buck 21 against tipping, which tendency is increased as the transverse carriage moves to the left (Fig. 2).

VLaterally movable carriage 31 is similarly mounted on track 'bars 40 by means of rollers 41, and is main- 3 tained agaimttipping Aby the abutment of rollers 42 against trnck- -bars43.

Buck 2l is normally heldin front position by a tension spring 46 connected between transverse carriage 25 and lateral carriaget). Buck 22 is-normally held in a resilient manner in its rear position by the tension of a spring '47twhich pulls the buck rearwardly against a compression spring 148. In this `position buck 22 is in resilient equilibrium, and this is the free position of buck .22 asUshown for exampleV in Figs. 2, 6 and l0. Buck 22 can therefore be moved slightly rearwardly, that is, to the left in Fig. 2, by the engagement therewith of chest 23, to achieve the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, although normally spring 48 holds buck 22 with its longitudinal axis coincident with line B.

Buck 21 is freeto be moved transversely any required distance against the pull of its spring 46, for example to the pressing position shown in Fig. 8, since its transverse track 27 is of a length sucient to `permit this movement.

Lateral movement of the bucks occurs simultaneously though in opposite directions, and this is effected as follows. The lateral carriages 30 and 31 are connected to opposite ights of an endless chain 49 which engages sprocket wheels 50, 51, these wheels being journalled at 52 in the frame base (Fig. 2). Reciprocation of chain 49 will cause each buck to move laterally back and forth.

A double acting air cylinder 54 is operatively at tached at 5S to another and shorter endless chain 56 which engages a pair of smaller sprockets 57 and 58 concentric with the sprockets and 51. The diameter of sprockets 57 and 58 relative to sprockets 50 and 51 is such that an increment of movement of the longer chain 49 is achieved by approximately one-half the movement of chain 56 and consequently the stroke of the piston in cylinder 54 can be correspondingly reduced. As a result, the bucks 21 and 22 reciprocate laterally through a range equal to twice the piston stroke.

Pressing chest 23 is secured to a supporting member 59 having a carriage 60 at the top. Rollers 61 on the carriage ride above and below two spaced tracks 62 extending between and secured to frame sections 63 and 64. The chest 23 is movable to pressing position by an air motor 65 acting through a toggle mechanism 66, and normally retained in retracted position by springs 67. Flexible `conduits 68 and 69 provide for steam supply and exhaust.

Chest* 24 Irequires only a limited forward movement and is supported on shafts 72 slidable in bored bosses 73 on the frame. motor v74, having a piston rod 75 secured to the chest, and normally retracted by a spring 76. Flexible pipes 77 and 78 supply and exhaust heating steam.

Buck 22 4is moved transversely to dressing position by an sir cylinder 79,- the piston rod of which has a spherical endto engage in a socket 80 in carriage 26. Cylinder 79 is pivotally mounted which allows the cylinder to swing through the necessary arc as carriage `26 is moved forward. Normally the piston rod of air motor 79 is retracted out of the path of the carriage by means of an internal spring 81. Asbest seen in Fig. 2 the cylinder is mounted in a support 82 secured to the machine housing.

Bucks 21 and 22, as previously discussed, have moved laterally in opposite directions to the positions shown in Fig. 2. A pedal valve actuator 85 holds a combination valve 86.0pen and combination valve 87 closed. Air from a supply pipe 88 is going through valve 86 and by` way of pipe89 to the inlets of valves 90 and 91. Valve 91 is held open by the retracted toggle 66 of chest 23, land -air is going through pipe 92 to the left inlet of buck-operating air motor 54 which has moved the bucks to the position shown throughthechains andsprockets previously described. Valve .90.also has just opened, having 4beenoperated by an actuating bell.crank 93 as the .latter was contacted by the buck carriage.' 31.

Heavy pressure is supplied by an air V*to` the right-endofslide-fvalveSfmoving its-piston to the left until communication is established between its right end inlet and its central outlet, and thence by pipe 96 to the inlet of air motor 65.

The air entering motor 65 begins to operate toggle 66 to move chest 23 intooonct with buck 22. As the toggle begins to move towards its fully operated position it releases valvefl, and its-presently `ineffective companion valve 97. This cuts ott theair to motor 54 .since there is no further need for operationof `said .motorist this point in the` cyelepnud buck` 22 is freed fntml self-adjustment imposed by the contacting chest 23.

Whenv ehestf23-reachesthe position of Fig. 4, with toggle 66 straightenedfthetpiston of-motor 65 will have cleared the side port of the motor, which communicates with pipe 98, and said pipe admits uid pressure to motor 74, thereby moving chest 24 into pressing engagement, as indicated in Fig. 5. Press'ng thereupon proceeds to completion.

.The next operation ofpedal 85 closes valve 86 and opens valve 87. The opening of valve 87 at the time has no effect because valves 106 and 97 which it supplies are both closed. Closure of valve 86 cuts ott air to valve and hence to the chest motors 65, 74 and their springs retract, vopeningthe chests as indicated in Fig. 6. vMotor 65 `exhausts through the several pipes and valves through which-it had previously been supplied back to valverl and out the exhaust port 86a. Motor 74 at rst exhausts through motor .65 by the path indicated in the last sentencefthen through a front vent on motor 65, as is customary.

When` the chests reach fully opened position. being normally biased thereto by springs 67 and 76, toggle 66 contacts andopens 'valves 91 `and 97. The air now supplied from valve 87 through pipes 102 and 103 goes through valve 97 `and by pipe 104 to the right hand inlet of motor 54, which operateschain 56 to cause the bucks to move to the opposite ends of their paths of travel, as shown in Fig. 7. .Immediately on .reaching this position the lateral carriage 30'operates bellcrank 105,-opening valve 106. This admits air by pipes 107 and 108 to piston valve 95, moving its piston to the right so as-to close off the right hand inlet from pipe 94, and establishing communication through the central port. and pipe 96 with motor 65. This initiates closure of the chests. At the same time the opening of valve 106 admits air by way of pipe 109 to motor 79, and this moves buck 22 forward to the dressing station, as indicated in Figs. 8.and 9.

At the next operation of the pedal the closing .of valve 87 `permits exhaustionof the chest motors, and at the same time exhausts cylinder 79, permitting buck 22 to move back to line B, Fig. l0, under the biasof spring 47. When the `chests arefully open the bucks are again moved by motor 54 to the cycle starting position, as shown in Fig. 2

From a consideration of the operations just ,described it will be `noted -that when operation of the pedal 85 releases the pressing engagement of the chests with a buck. both bucks remain in their lateral positions until both chests are retracted fully, so as to assureclearance for the buck. Full retraction `of the chests causes operation of motor 54 as a result of action of the toggle 66 against valve 91 or 97, .thereupon reversing the lateral positions of the bucks, whereupon `this position causes operation of the chest motors ,65 and 74 by operation of the respective bellcranks or 93.

When this series of pressing operations is to be halted pedal 85 may be moved to a lcentral or neutral pol'tion wherein a spring pressed member or.ball detent on are pedal cooperates with a lixed portion carried by the-bmw ing.V In this neutral position, .valves 86 and 87 are closed. This is usually done as an undressed buck moves into the pressing station. The chests then remain open and the'bucks stop.

We have provided aself-contained regulating arrangement for moving the bucks laterally in a smooth yet positive member. This is effected by providing a power bypass arrangement on cylinder 54.

In the position of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3 the piston 54a of cylinder 54 has just arrived at the right hand end of the cylinder. When it was at the left hand end of the cylinder it was to the left of port 112. When air pressure from pipe 92 began to move piston 54a to the right, and when the piston passed port 112 nothing changed since check valve 113 only opens to pressure from its right through pipe 114. By the time the piston has completed half of its stroke the bucks have acquired their full momentum and it becomes desirable to decelerate. Therefore when the piston passes the central port 115 the air enters pipes 116 and 117 and through check valve 118 and pipe 119 to the right end of the cylinder and ahead of the piston. This air has an escape path through pipe 104, valve 97, pipes 103 and 102, and out the exhaust ports 87a of valve 87, but nevertheless it offers a dash-pot type of resistance to the piston, and consequently to travel of the bucks. The bucks are raked almost to a stop as they approach their end positions. As the piston 54a passes port 120 the full air pressure is re-established to the left of the piston, which assures that the buck will reach full registering position. The same regulating action of course takes place when the bucks are moved in the opposite direction, the escape passage for the braking air then taking place through pipe 92 and valves 91 and 86.

What we claim is:

l. In a pressing machine, a pair of co-operating pressing chests, means for producing relative approach and withdrawal movement between said chests, a pair of pressing bucks, means for moving said bucks simultaneously in opposite directions between a pressing station between said chests and a dressing station removed from said chests, said means comprising a pair of laterally extending transversely spaced tracks, said tracks being generally parallel, a laterally movable carriage on each track, a transversely movable carriage on each laterally movable carriage, said bucks being carried one on each transversely movable carriage, and respective means disposed adjacent said pressing station and said dressing station, and responsive to arrival of a lateral carriage adjacent thereto, for producing transverse movement of the respective transverse carriages.

2. In a pressing machine, a pair of co-operating pressing chests, means for producing relative approach and withdrawal movement between said Chests, a pair of pressing bucks, means for moving said bucks simultaneously in opposite directions between a pressing station between said chests and a dressing station removed from said chests, said means comprising a pair of laterally extending, transversely spaced tracks, said tracks being generally parallel, a laterally movable carriage on each track, a transverse track on each laterally movable carriage, a transverse carriage on each transverse track, one of said bucks carried on each transverse track, and respective means disposed adjacent said pressing station and said dressing station, and responsive to approach movement of a lateral carriage, for producing transverse movement of the respective transverse carriages.

3. In a pressing machine, a pair of co-operating pressing chests, means for producing relative approach and withdrawal movement between said chests, a pressing station between said chests, a dressing station removed from said chests, a pair of pressing bucks, means providing two generally parallel and adjacent respective tracks between said pressing station and said dressing station, and means for moving said bucks simultaneously in opposite directions, each buck on a respective track.

4. In a pressing machine, a pair of co-operating spaced pressing chests, means for producing relative approach and withdrawal movement between said chests, a pressing station between said chests and a dressing station removed from said chests, a pair of pressing bucks, means providing two generally parallel and adjacent respective tracks between said pressing station and said dressing station, means for moving one said buck along one said track from the dressing station to the pressing station while simultaneously moving the other said buck along the other said path from the pressing station to the dressing station, said tracks being spaced from each other suiciently to permit said bucks to pass each other without interference with each other.

5. In a pressing machine, a pair of co-operating pressing chests, means for producing relative approach and withdrawal movement between said chests, a pressing station between said chests, a dressing station removed from said chests, a pair of pressing bucks, means providing two generally parallel and adjacent respective tracks between said pressing station and said dressing station, and means for moving said bucks simultaneously in opposite directions, each buck on a respective track, said last-named means comprising for each track a respective rst member movable along said track and a respective second member carried on said first member, said second member being movable transversely to the movement of said rst member.

6. In a pressing machine, a pair of co-operating pressing chests, means for producing relative approach and withdrawal movement betweeen said chests, a pressing station between said chests, a dressing station removed from said chests, a pair of pressing bucks, means providing two generally parallel and adjacent respective tracks between said pressing station and said dressing station, and means for moving said bucks simultaneously in opposite directions, each buck on a respective track, said last-named means comprising for each track a respective first member movable along said track and a respective second member carried on said first member, said second member being movable transversely to the movement of said irst member, one of said bucks being carried on each of said second movable members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

